Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The last lap


Monday was the last lap of our race. It started at 4am when the alarm went off. I had 30 minutes, because at 5am sharp Pres. Cox likes to be standing in line at the airport to turn in Visas with immigration...so we were off and running with the Elders close behind us in the mission van at 4:30. It was a wet morning here. The night before we had enjoyed thunder and lightening...an unusual sight for us in January and February. I need to record here how much fun it is at the airport. Our missionaries going home are so unsettled, unsure and uncomfortable about the whole departure experience....and our Assistants are taking mental notes of all they need to remember for their departure day...in this case our Assistants will be leaving on the next change so they were priming their engines and thinking ahead....

We returned home...I prepared our lasagna dinner for the 18 we would be feeding later that day, said our goodbyes to the DeHoyos' family, met up at the Central for changes, picked up our 6 new Elders from the CCM, interviews, training, put the lasagna in the oven and then off again to the airport for our 4 Americans. Bonus point....our Elders Moffitt, Holmes and Perry, returning home.....met up in the Dallas Airport with our Elders Braithwaite, Scott, Salazar and Loveland who were arriving and shared their best wishes for a great mission. That must have been a fun time for all of them. It is so great to finally meet our Elders. We have their pictures after their assignment is made and for Americans we think of them for 2 months....The Mexicans we have about 1 month...but it is great to finally be able to put our real missionaries with these names on the board. Probably the best part of this day is when assignments are given out. President interviews all the missionaries and while they are eating....he prepares their first assignment. Each Elder is ushered into the President's office and he is given his slip of paper with all the details. President Cox shows him on his board ...a picture of his trainer, the name of his area and then locates his city on our mission map. The Elder is then given an opportunity to share with everyone else where he will be serving and who is trainer is. Such fun we have. Last but not least pictures are taken so the missionaries can send a quick note home to Mom and Dad with proof....caz here he is with Presidente y Hermana Cox.

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